


Names

by Shit_Biscuits



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: (did i use that word correctly), Coldflash is mentioned in passing it can be ignored, Gen, Introspection on Hartley, Mr. & Mrs. Rathaway's A+ parenting, This is really only about Hartley
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-03
Updated: 2017-02-03
Packaged: 2018-09-21 16:27:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 421
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9557165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shit_Biscuits/pseuds/Shit_Biscuits
Summary: Hartley's been called a lot of things in his life.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic so please go easy on my soul, okay?
> 
> I love my asshole son Hartley and this is just me omnipresently looking through his eyes I guess?
> 
> Not Beta'd, all mistakes are my own. Enjoy! (?)

Hartley Rathaway. The Pied Piper. Villain. Hero. Heir to Rathaway Industries. _Former_  heir to Rathaway Industries. Weirdo. Gay. Bastard. Dick. Stain on the Earth. Son. Sweetie. Abomination. Different. Coworker. Friend. One night stand. Genius. Everything. Nothing. Spoiled brat. Idiot. Prick. Worthless. Attention whore. Smart. Love. Nerd. Asshole. Disgusting. Hart.

Hartley has been called many names. Some were nice, some not so much. Some were by the people he used to care about, and some were from his new family. 

Hartley Rathaway knew he wasn’t inherently good, not like Cisco, not like Barry or Caitlyn or (sometimes) Harry, or even the former leader of the Central City Rogues who died a hero, just like his boy-toy believed him to be. Hell, even Mick Rory had some good in him. In another timeline Hartley could have hurt people. He could have _killed_ people. And apparently in that timeline, Hartley didn't give two shits about it.

His friends (and he couldn’t believe they could call a pretentious prick like him their friend) said that what he did in the other timeline wasn’t his fault. That things were different. That what counts is that he never actually did what he had planned to do. And sometimes that makes him feel better. Sometimes.

(Other times it left him disconcerted as all hell)

This whole multiple universes and timelines thing gets really confusing sometimes, y'know? How would things have been different if he had gone through with his plans? Would he end up as the reformed villain that he is today? Would he be less friendly with his parents than he is? (although they do ignore him for the most part, but at least he's not disowned anymore.)

It's funny the way the universe works. He used to think his parents, his legacy, was the most important thing in the world. Their approval was what drove him. Was. Now, that means nothing to him. Sure, they will always be his parents, but they don’t define him the way they used to. His own actions will no longer be determined by those who want to manipulate him for their own purposes.

His family is what drives him. Not his _biological_ one, but the one he made for himself. The family he made out of heroes and villains and anti-heroes, _they_ are what drive him.

Sure, some of the names he'd been called were accurate. But they really didn’t matter to him anymore. Not when he had a chance. Not when his family, his _real_ family believes in him.

**Author's Note:**

> Constructive Criticism is welcome!


End file.
